Bowsight



y 1967 w. A. AMBRAZJATIS 3,320,670

BOWS I GET Filed June 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l F|G.4 A

INVFNT TR.

WILLIAM A. AMBRAZIATIS ATTORNEY w. A. AMBRAZIATIS 3,320,670

BOWS IGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY May 23, 1967 Filed June 28, 1965United States Patent 3,320,670 BOWSIGHT William A. Ambraziatis, 15350Cal-fax, Bellflower, Calif. 90706 Filed June 28, 1965, Ser. No. 467,4793 Claims. (Cl. 33-46) This invention relates to an adjustable bowsightand more particularly to a bowsight using a reflecting surface formaintaining alignment of an arrow for striking an object.

An archer is confronted with the problem of pulling a bowstring apreferred distance and releasing it at an exact time. Assuming that allother factors remain the same, if an archer is able to pull and releaseaccording to a definite and repeatable pattern, his accuracy remains thesame. When an archer has initially determined a proper draw and relase,that accuracy would remain fixed and would result in a high accuracyarrow strikes.

However, in most cases, the archer is not able to maintain a fixedpattern. Under usual shooting conditions, the archer cannot see thearrow and has no way of determining how far he has pulled it. Even if hecould see the arrow, he could not accurately determine the length ofpull due to the fact that he is looking at the arrow from behind and ata downward angle.

Certain mechanical devices have been provided, called draw checks, suchas a button glued to the string that should touch the same spot on thearchers face (anchor point) with each draw. The devices aid the archerbut do not enable him to see the draw of his arrow. Arrow draw isparticularly important over a long shooting interval, of, for example,100 arrows or more. An archer tends to permit his arrow to creep forwarddue to tiredness with the result that the shots become progressivelylower.

The invention described herein overcomes, to a large extent, theproblems described above by providing a means permitting an archer toobserve arrow draw and to improve shooting accuracy by using an improvedmeans for sighting his bow on an object such as a target.

Briefly, the inventive bow sight comprises reflection means such as aright angle prism having a reflective hypotenuse surface such as amirrored surface for reflecting the arrow image to the eye of the archerso that the arrow tip is aligned on the bullseye of a target or otherobject. Adjusting means are provided for calibrating the bowsight foraccuracy under various conditions. The adjusting means includes meansfor adjusting arrow drift in a horizontal plane and for target distanceaccording to an individual archers shooting characteristics.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedbowsight for permitting the archer observation of his arrow draw;

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bowsight using areflecting surface for permitting an archer to observe the draw of hisarrow;

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improvedbowsight for maintaining a repeatable shooting pattern under variousshooting conditions;

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improvedbowsight which can be pre-calibrated according to particular shootingconditions.

These and other objects of this invention will become 3,329,670 PatentedMay 23, 1967 more apparent with the following description taken inconnection with the acompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side view embodiment of the bowsight affixed to a drawn bow.

FIG. 2 is a partial section taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1 showing therear view of the sight aflixed to a bow including the end view of anarrow.

FIG. 3 is a left side partial section view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG.2 showing the bowsight affixed to a bow.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the sight removed from the bow taken alonglines 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front side view of the sight in elevation.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the bowsight showing the reflective means at anangular position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, wherein is shown bowsight 1 attached to themid-section of bow 2 at a grooved area formed or cut in the body nearits center. Also shown therein is arrow 3 supported by arrow rest 4. Thearrow is in a drawn position with its feather tip or slotted endcontacting string 5. The string, pulled tight, provides the force fordriving the arrow through the air towards an object when released.

Referring now to FIG. 2, wherein is shown sight bar joined to horizontalsliding bars or rods 21 and 22. For clarification, rods 21 and 22 areassumed to extend along .a horizontal X axis direction.

Lock screw 23 and 46 (see FIG. 3) are provided for securing the sightbar at a particular horizontal position. Also shown in FIG. 2 is areflecting means 24 enclosed and mounted inside holder means 25. For theembodiment shown, the reflecting means is a prism having a mirroredsurface as its hypotenuse side, that is, side 26 (see FIG. 3). It shouldbe understood that the other reflecting means are also within the scopeof the invention, such as a mirror placed at a 45 angle, with respect toa horizontal Z axis taken along rod 43 (see FIG. 5). Also, a polishedmetal surface may be used.

Ball alignment means 27 and 27' such as metal spheres are aflixed to theholder means, for example, by soldering, and are used to align the arrowon a target. Target bullseye 28 is aligned along the bottom portion ofthe prism. The target may be various distances from the bow and isreproduced in part for illustration of the alignment. The striking endof the arrow 4, tip 29 (see FIG. 3), is reflected by surface 26 so thatthe tip image is covered or aligned with ball alignment means 27. Theball alignment means is centered in target 28. For a left-handed archer,the reflecting means may be removed and inserted at the opposite side ofthe sight housing via the opposite end of the threaded sleeve 44 (seeFIG. 5) and adjusted for alignment.

FIG. 2 also illustrates sight housing 30 which moves vertically withrespect to the bow. Openings 31 and 32 are provided in the housing formovement of horizontal rods 21 and 22. Openings 33 and 34 are providedfor vertical rods 35 and 36. The vertical rods provide the sight with acapability of adjustment along a vertical axis with respect to the bow.For purposes of the description, the vertical axis is assumed to be in aY direction.

Locking screws 37 and 38 (see FIG. 4) are provided for locking in sighthousing in place in a selected vertical position. The vertical rodsterminate and are joined at plates by means 39 and 40 (see FIG. 3).

In a preferred embodiment, the plate means, sight housing and sight barare comprised of aluminum with the remaining portions excluding thereflector means, being comprised of stainless steel. The assembly may bechrome-plated and dyed black or other colors. In other embodiments, theentire assembly may be comprised of stainless steel, aluminum, or aplastic material, or any combination thereof. The reflecting means inone embodiment is comprised of an optical glass prism having a mirroredsurface which may, for example, be painted on the hypotenuse side of theglass prism..

It should be understood that the scope of the invention is not limitedto the particular materials and processes described in connection withthe illustrated embodiments and that the invention includes orsubstitutes and changes that obvious to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 3, wherein the sight is shown from the side. Asshown in FIG. 3, plates 39 and 40 are L shaped. Vertical rods 35 and 36are joined to one portion of the plates by means such as welding. Theother portion joins the sight to the bow.

The sight is secured to the bow by screw means 41 and 42 which attachthe plate to the bow through openings provided in the plates.

Horizontal rod means 43, is shown joined to sight bar 20 throughthreaded sleeve portion 44 which is connected to the sight bar, forexample, by welding. For purposes of description, movement of rod means43 is assumed to be along a horizontal Z axis direction and angularabout said Z axis. Rod 43 is threaded for mating with the sleeve.Threaded lock nut'45 mates with rod 43 and sleeve 44 for locking the rodat a particular horizontal position along the Z axis. The threaded nutmay be loosened also to permit adjustment of the reflection means to adesired angular position about the Z ax1s.

The horizontal X and Z position adjust means, the vertical adjustmeans,and the angular adjustment means gives the sight 3 degrees of freedom inaddition to the angular adjustment about the Z axis.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the sight is illustrated from a rear view. Lockscrews 23 and 46, for locking the sight bar in place along itshorizontal X axis, are more clearly illustrated as are lock screws 37and 38 for looking the sight bar in place along its vertical axis. Bars35 and 36 are also more clearly illustrated. The end position ofhorizontal rod 43 including the sight bar and lock nut 45 are also shownin a different view.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the horizontal rod 43 and other portions of thesight are shown in perspective. The reflecting means 24 can be movedalong its horizontal Z axis forward and backward and along itshorizontal X axis in and out of the sight housing 30. An archer viewsthe arrow image along the horizontal Z axis looking into reflectingmeans 24.

It should also be understood that sight bar 20 could be threaded so thatrod 43 would mate with the threaded portion, and sleeve 44 could beeliminated. Other embodiments are also possible.

Briefly, the sight operates to improve the archers shooting accuracy. Ifit is desired to raise the, arrows trajectory, the reflecting means islowered by loosening the locking screws 37 and 38 and manually slidingthe sight housing along rods 35 and 36. The exact height is determinedempirically by the archer. The arrow trajectory is raised if thereflecting means is lowered and the trajectory lowered if the sight israised.

It may be desirable to adjust the sight for arrow drift, either right orleft. This adjustment is achieved by loosening lock screws 23 and 46 andsliding rods 21 and 22 through the sight housing until the drift of thearrow, due for example to wind, has been compensated for. As before, thearcher empirically determines the exact X axis horizontal position. Ifthe arrows are drifting to the left, the reflecting means is moved tothe left which forces the archer to move the bow to the right in ahorizontal plane.

to place the sight on target. The reverse is true for right arrow drift.After the exact horizontal position is selected, screws 23 and 46 arelocked. Lock nut 45 is loosened to permit angular rotation of thereflection means so that the arrow image can be seen on the reflectingsurface. For example, in FIG. 6, reflecting means 24 including theholder and other portions thereof, such as the alignment means has beenrotated approximately 51 to permit the archer to view the arrow tip fromthat particular horizontal position. 51 rotation is only required forextreme cases to correct for arrow drift Ordinarily, rotation of lessthan 15 is required to maintain a tip image in the reflecting means.

After the horizontal X axis and vertical positions are selected, locknut 45 is loosened so that each archer can adjust the reflecting meansalong its Z axis (horizontal) to place the tip of the arrow exactly ontarget as viewed through the reflecting surface. After the exactposition is selected for a particular distance of arrow travel, thenutis locked.

Usually, an archer will shoot from 6 to 12 arrows at a target toestablish a group or pattern. The archer retrieves his arrows, adjustshis bowsight and continues shooting until he is satisfied with thepattern he obtains. For that particular distance the archer places amark on a piece of tap-e (not shown) on the side of the bow indicatingthesight setting. Ordinarily, the vertical setting only is marked downbecause horizontal position is dependent on wind conditions for aparticular day and location.

After a sight has been calibrated for a particular distance, the archerneeds only to properly align the target bullseye, ball alignment andarrow tip within the reflecting means in order to obtain an accurateshot.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, itis to be understood that the same is by way of illustration and exampleonly and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scopeof this invention being limited only by the terms of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In combination,

a bow and bowsight secured to said how, said bowsight comprisingreflection means for reflecting the image of an arrow tip for viewing byan archer, including means for aligning said tip on a target, said meansfor alignnig being connected to said reflection means, and

longitudinally movable and rotatable rod means for adjusting saidreflection means and said means for alignment along a Z axis and 360about said Z axis,

said rod means being, connected to said reflection means, and sleevemeans for receiving said rod means, said rod means being rotatablyengaged with said sleeve means and, means for holding said rod means ata selected location along said Z axis whereby said reflecting means isheld at a selected angle about said Z axis, and means for adjusting saidreflection means along an X axis and means for adjusting said reflectionmeans along a Y axis, said X axis adjusting means including a bar memberconnected to said sleeve means. 2. The combination as recited in claim1, wherein said both means for adjusting shave a housing means havingvertical and horizontal openings, and

said Y axis adjusting means includes Y axis rod means for slidablyengaging said housing in said vertical openings, said Y axis rod meansbeing secured to said how, and, said X axis adjusting means includes Xaxis rod means for slidea'bly engaging said housing in said horizontal 56 openings, said bar member being also connected to References Cited bythe Examiner X 5 l i UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. The comblnatron 1s recitedin clalm 1 wherein sald rod means comprises a threaded member and saidsleeve 2,534,946 12/1950 Bradley 33 46-4 X means comprises a firstthreaded sleeve member which 5 3O84442 4/1963 Jacobson et 33 46'4 mateswith said threaded rod means, and said means for 3,163,938 1/1965Reynolds holding comprises a second threaded sleeve member which mateswith said threading bar member for securing LEONARD FORMAN PrlmaryExammer' said rod means against said first threaded sleeve member.FREED, Assistant Examiner-

1. IN COMBINATION, A BOW AND BOWSIGHT SECURED TO SAID BOW, SAID BOWSIGHTCOMPRISING REFLECTION MEANS FOR REFLECTING THE IMAGE OF AN ARROW TIP FORVIEWING BY AN ARCHER, INCLUDING MEANS FOR ALIGNING SAID TIP ON A TARGET,SAID MEANS FOR ALIGNING BEING CONNECTED TO SAID REFLECTION MEANS, ANDLONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE AND ROTATABLE ROD MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAIDREFLECTION MEANS AND SAID MEANS FOR ALIGNMENT ALONG A Z AXIS AND 360*ABOUT SAID Z AXIS, SAID ROD MEANS BEING, CONNECTED TO SAID REFLECTIONMEANS, AND SLEEVE MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID ROD MEANS, SAID ROD MEANSBEING ROTATABLY ENGAGED WITH SAID SLEEVE MEANS AND, MEANS FOR HOLDINGSAID ROD MEANS AT A SELECTED LOCATION ALONG SAID Z AXIS WHEREBY SAIDREFLECTING MEANS IS HELD AT A SELECTED ANGLE ABOUT SAID Z AXIS, ANDMEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID REFLECTION MEANS ALONG AN X AXIS AND MEANS FORADJUSTING SAID REFLECTION MEANS ALONG A Y AXIS, SAID X AXIS ADJUSTINGMEANS INCLUDING A BAR MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID SLEEVE MEANS.